Angela Merkel: German carmakers should build-up battery production for EVs in Europe

Electric vehicles are picking up fast and the German automobile companies are lagging behind. During a Tuesday event hosted by the National Academy of Science and Engineering in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced her support for a potential move by German automakers to produce batteries for electric cars in Europe.

Merkel’s remarks at the event came against the backdrop of the fact that the production of the constituent cells of battery packs is presently not so significant in Europe. The battery pack production market is currently dominated by just a few companies in Asia, specifically in China and South Korea.

Asserting that automakers in Germany should mull the option of producing electric car batteries for the European region, Merkel said that the auto industry in Germany should be involved in battery production, which would constitute a significant component of the value-added chain for electric vehicles (EVs). Merkel also added that if Europe does not build-up its battery production, it would have a small share in the auto industry’s value-added chain in future.

Chancellor Merkel said at the event, “I’m detecting a certain rethink among carmakers”; and added alongside that she is backing the outgoing Academy President Henning Kagermann who feels that it is pertinent for Europe to have a home-grown battery industry.

Although Merkel said that it might still be possible for Europe to “achieve something” in terms of battery production for EVs, she also acknowledged the fact that businesses are apparently apprehensive of venturing into this field.

In a recent announcement, U.S. retailer Target has revealed that it is teaming up with Electrify America, Tesla and ChargePoint, for deploying “more than 600 chargers” at “over 100 stores” across the country.